What is the processor installed in Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite: a full review of the Snapdragon 660

Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite is one of the most popular mid-range smartphones from the Chinese brand, released in 2018. Despite the fact that the model is not new, it is still in demand due to the balanced characteristics and affordable price. The main question that worries potential buyers and owners: what processor is in the Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite and how relevant it is today?

In this article, we will take a closer look at the chipset’s technical specifications, architecture, competition, and whether to buy the Mi 8 Lite in 2026 in terms of performance, and how the processor affects gaming, multitasking, and energy efficiency.

What processor is installed in Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite: official data

The Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor, a mid-range 14nm chipset released in 2017, which is part of the Snapdragon 600 series and is positioned as a solution for smartphones with a good balance of performance and power consumption.

The main characteristics of the Snapdragon 660:

• 🔹 Architecture: 8 Kryo 260 cores (4 high performance + 4 energy efficient)
• 🔹 Clock speed: up to 2.2 GHz on production cores, up to 1.8 GHz on energy efficient ones
• 🔹 Graphics accelerator: Adreno 512 with OpenGL ES 3.2 support, Vulkan 1.0
• 🔹 Process: 14 nm (Samsung production)
• 🔹 Memory support: LPDDR4X (up to 8 GB), eMMC 5.1/UFS 2.1

Paired with the processor in the Mi 8 Lite runs 4 or 6 GB of RAM (depending on the modification) and 64/128 GB of built-in memory. This allows the device to cope with most everyday tasks, but with some caveats, which we will discuss later.

Snapdragon 660 architecture: why is it still relevant?

Although the Snapdragon 660 was announced in 2017, its architecture remains competitive for budget and mid-range smartphones.

The chipset is built on the basis of a big.LITTLE concept, where 4 cores of the Kryo 260 (modified Cortex-A73) are responsible for performance, and 4 cores (Cortex-A53) are responsible for energy efficiency, such separation allows:

• 📈 Optimize energy consumption for simple tasks (social networks, instant messengers).
• ⚡ Improve performance in resource-intensive applications (games, video editing).
• 🔋 Increase battery life by switching between cores.

The Adreno 512 graphics accelerator supports display resolution up to QHD+ (2560×1440) and refresh rate 60Hz. The Mi 8 Lite uses a FHD+ screen (2280×1080), so the graphics subsystem does not run to the limit of its capabilities, which has a positive effect on stability.

Performance in games and benchmark tests

One of the key questions for gamers is: How well does the Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite pull on modern games?The answer depends on the specific game and graphics settings, but overall, the Snapdragon 660 shows the following results:

In benchmark tests, the Mi 8 Lite shows the following results (according to AnTuTu 9 and Geekbench 5):

• 📊 AnTuTu: ~140 000–160 000 points (for comparison, the Snapdragon 710 scores ~180 000).
• 🧠 Geekbench (single-core): ~350–400 points.
• 🧠 Geekbench (multi-core): ~1,300–1,500 points.

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To improve performance in games, turn off background apps and activate performance mode in MIUI settings: Settings → Battery and Performance → Performance Mode.

Important: During long gaming sessions (more than 30-40 minutes), the smartphone begins to warm up, which leads to trottling (decreased performance), this is due to the lack of active cooling and the features of the body of the Mi 8 Lite.

Comparison with competitors: Snapdragon 660 vs other chipsets

To see how good the Snapdragon 660 is in 2026, compare it to other popular processors in the same price range:

The table shows that the Snapdragon 660 is inferior to newer chipsets (such as the Helio G90T or Snapdragon 710), but remains competitive in its class, with its main advantages:

• ✅ Stable with MIUI (unlike some MediaTek chipsets).
• ✅ Good optimization for most applications.
• ✅ Supports all modern communication standards (LTE Cat.12, Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi 5).

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The Snapdragon 660 is the best choice for everyday tasks, but not for heavy gaming or professional use.

Energy efficiency and autonomy: how much does the battery hold?

Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite is equipped with a battery capacity of 3,350 mAh. Against the background of modern smartphones with batteries of 4000-5000 mAh, this seems small, but thanks to the optimization of MIUI and energy efficiency of the Snapdragon 660, the device shows good results:

• 📱 Active use mode: 5-6 hours of screen (social networks, instant messengers, videos).
• 🎮 Game mode: 3-4 hours (in PUBG Mobile or Call of Duty).
• 🔋 Standby mode: Up to 2 days with moderate use.

To increase the battery life is recommended:

Disable background activity of unnecessary applications

Use a dark theme (AMOLED- screen)

Reduce brightness to 50-60%

Activate the energy saving mode in Settings → Battery

Turn off automatic data synchronization-->

⚠️ Warning: When you use it heavily (games, video), your smartphone can get hot, causing your battery to run faster, and avoid running multiple resource-intensive applications at the same time.

Problems and disadvantages of the Snapdragon 660 Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite

Despite the advantages, the Snapdragon 660 in the Mi 8 Lite has a few significant drawbacks that you should be aware of before buying:

1. Due to the lack of active cooling and 14nm process technology, the chipset is very warm in games or when recording video in 4K for long periods.
2. Trottling: When heated above 70 to 75°C, the processor automatically reduces the frequency, causing FPS to drop in games.
3. Limited camera support. Adreno 512 is not optimized for 4K@60fps video processing or multi-camera systems (relevant to new AI applications).
4. An outdated version of Bluetooth (5.0). No support for LE Audio and LC3- codec, which may be critical for modern wireless headphones.

⚠️ Warning: If you plan to use the Mi 8 Lite to capture high-resolution video, note that when you record 4K@30fps, the smartphone may overheat and shut down. For stable performance, it is recommended to limit Full HD.

However, most of these problems only occur when you are under heavy load.In everyday use (social media, calls, photos), the Snapdragon 660 works steadily.

Should you buy Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite in 2026?

The answer to this question depends on your needs. Let's figure out who will suit the Mi 8 Lite with the Snapdragon 660, and who should consider alternatives:

Who's good for this?

• 📱 Users who need a budget smartphone for social media, calls, and easy tasks.
• 📸 For those who appreciate the camera (24 MP core module with good daytime color reproduction).
• 💰 Buyers looking for an inexpensive spare phone or device for their child/parents.

Who doesn't?

• 🎮 Gamers who want to play modern games at high settings.
• 🎥 Those who plan to shoot videos in 4K or use professional editing apps.
• 🔄 Users who want long-term support for updates (Mi 8 Lite no longer receives official updates)

If you need a smartphone with a more modern processor, consider alternatives:

• 🆕 Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 (Snapdragon 680, 6 nm).
• 🆕 POCO X3 Pro (Snapdragon 860, 7 nm).
• 🆕 Realme 9 (Snapdragon 680 or Helio G96).

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The Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite in 2026 is a good option for the secondary market or a spare phone, but not for the main use if you require high performance.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions About Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite Processor